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So you’re setting up your first kitchen, and you’re busy looking at colors, patterns, and design themes. But before you get into design ideas for kitchens, you may need to sit down and do a bit of planning. After all, a kitchen is more than just a stylish room—it’s primarily a place to work, and all that décor won’t be worth much if you can’t get your work done. There’s a difference between kitchen décor and design: décor is what makes it look nice, while design is what makes it usable. A good kitchen provides a good balance between these two.

So how do you build a functional and stylish kitchen? It’s easier than it seems. The trick is to get the essentials down before going into aesthetics. Before thinking of colors and textures, you want to be sure you have enough space, a working counter, and a layout that’s conducive to kitchen work. That way, you can be sure your décor won’t get in the way. If you’re not sure how to start, here’s a quick kitchen design guide to help you out.

Your work area

The work area is the most important part of the kitchen. Remember, when it comes to kitchen work, it’s better to have too much space than too little. One way to increase your kitchen space is to put up a kitchen island. Islands are those freestanding surfaces that serve as an extension of your counter. Besides adding to your workspace, they can also double as entertainment areas where people can sit and hang out. Just make sure there’s enough room in your kitchen for people to get around the island.

If you have no room for an island, what you can do is clear out a space on your existing counter for kitchen work. Many people tend to overstuff their counters and simply push things aside when they need the space. This not only clutters the kitchen, but also promotes unsanitary cooking practices. Find a fixed workspace, no matter how small, and keep it clear at all times.

Kitchen traffic

Contrary to popular belief, the busiest room in the house is not the living room—it’s the kitchen. People come in and out all day to wash their hands, grab a snack, or pour themselves a drink. When you’re working, the last thing you want is people bumping into you all the time. If you have a particularly busy kitchen, you may want to look into feng shui kitchen design—the traditional Chinese art of arranging the home to encourage positive energy.

It all sounds philosophical, but beliefs aside, feng shui offers some practical solutions for busy kitchens. For example, one rule is to keep a clear path from one entrance to the other. This is said to welcome good energy into your home and drive out the bad. But practically speaking, it works because people can enter and leave the kitchen without getting in the way. It also won’t hurt to follow other feng shui tips, such as maximizing natural light, keeping gadgets at a minimum, and using natural materials (such as wood and stone) wherever possible.

Lighting levels

Lighting is probably one of the most underrated elements of kitchen design. A lot of delicate work happens in the kitchen, so it only makes sense to keep it well-lit. Kitchen lighting comes in three levels: main or ambient light, task lights, and mood lights. Ambient lights provide overall illumination and should be in a bright shade, such as daylight. Task lighting illuminates key areas such as the sink and stove, so you can better see what you’re doing. They can also be used to illuminate corners which are often left unlit by the main lights.

Mood lights are more aesthetic in nature and are usually optional. They work best for large kitchens which tend to have that cold "industrial" look. Adding mood lights softens the atmosphere and makes it look more welcoming. Mood lights usually come with a dimmer so you can brighten or darken the room as you please.

Kitchen accessories

Finally, once everything’s in place, you’ll want to decorate with a few accessories. Besides the pots, pans and utensils, you’ll need a few pieces that simply look nice. Even if they’re purely ornamental, kitchen accessories add to the homey feel of the room and make it feel more inviting to visitors. So throw in a handmade spice rack, a few herb pots, or even just a wall painting. It doesn’t have to be impressive or even consistent with your theme (although that helps). What’s important is that your kitchen accessories appeal to you personally. After all, it’s your workspace—it’s only right that you surround yourself with things that inspire you. As experts like to say, it’s these little kitchen details that really set your kitchen apart and make it your own.

Tags: design ideas for kitchens | design ideas for kitchens | feng shui kitchen | feng shui kitchen | kitchen lighting | kitchen lighting | kitchen details | kitchen details | kitchen island | kitchen island

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 11th, 2009 at 11:39 am and is filed under Kitchen decor. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.